Whether you’re here for yourself, looking on behalf of an aging parent, or work with someone that has a disability, both shower chairs and stools (also called bathroom benches) offer unique value and benefits.
This short post will break down some of the differences along with their relative advantages to users.
Shower Chairs: What They Are, Benefits and More
Shower chairs can be either static, in which case they take the form of a chair with non-skid legs/feet that is placed in the shower or tub and which is stationary during use, or they can take the form of shower transfer benches.
In a sliding shower transfer bench, such as the models in our ShowerGlyde line, they consist of a shower chair set on rails that slides into or out of the tub. Design configurations can vary considerably, and shower transfer benches can be quite different.
Our ShowerGlyde line, for instance, consists of three basic configurations that are designed to accommodate the widest possible range of bathroom layouts. All of them consist of a shower chair on rails that mounts over the tub, slides on rails, and has a grab bar on the far side (the side that sits in the tub/shower) to facilitate transfers.
In the case of static shower chairs, they can benefit users by giving a place to sit and rest while bathing, which eliminates concerns about slipping while standing. With proper access to bathing accessories like soap, shampoo and washcloths, they can also mitigate risks associated with slipping as a result of reaching.
However, stationary shower chairs do not eliminate the transfer, that is, the process of getting into or out of the tub, which is when many falls occur. Slick conditions in the bathroom and limited mobility can both contribute to this issue.
In that respect, a shower chair that takes the form of a sliding transfer bench is a safer, more practical alternative to a stationary model because the user sits in the chair before sliding himself or herself into or out of the shower. Of course, in addition to assisting the bather with the transfer, they can also be instrumental to caretakers as well.
Both types of shower chairs, being stationary chairs and transfer benches with chairs integrated into the design, are also more comfortable for prolonged use than much smaller shower stools like bathroom benches. This gives chairs the edge on ergonomics and comfort.
Shower chairs of all sorts tend to be adjustable, which can improve their comfort. Adjustability is not necessarily an exclusive trait either of stationary chairs or transfer benches. With that said, smaller stools tend not to be adjustable and offer only a fixed height/configuration, which is not as amenable to a wider range of settings or body types.
Shower chairs tend to offer greater stability than smaller stools and benches, even if the benches have non-slip feet. This is especially true in the case of locking models of transfer benches, such as those in our ShowerGlyde line.
One thing to note about shower chairs, especially transfer benches, is that their more complex design will merit more frequent and involved cleaning. With that said, high-quality chairs made with durable and corrosion resistant materials are usually fairly easy to keep clean and need only minimal maintenance.
Bathroom Benches: Selling Points and More
Like a shower chair, a bathroom bench is a small piece of bathroom furniture in which a user can sit to prevent fatigue (and thereby slipping) when in the bathroom. However, bathroom benches tend to be much smaller, less ergonomic, and slightly less comfortable than shower chairs, which can offer things like grab bars, arm rests, and back support.
By contrast with shower chairs, the bathroom benches in our Refine line (which might also be called shower stools) offer slightly limited functionality compared with the models in our ShowerGlyde line.
They do feature rugged, durable construction with a 300 pound capacity, as well as non-slip bases, but they aren’t quite as stable or secure as larger shower chairs and transfer benches.
However, for giving bathers a rest while in the shower, or a place to sit in the bathroom while attending to the toilet, they are a perfectly serviceable solution.
A considerable advantage of small shower benches like these is the price, as they are much more affordable than the solutions in our ShowerGlyde line. This may make them more affordable than the sliding transfer benches in the latter line. Shower benches can also be installed out of the tub or shower and used elsewhere in the bathroom, making them more versatile.
Another advantage of these small shower benches is that they are lighter and easier to move or reposition than larger shower chairs and transfer benches, potentially making them more amenable to smaller or shared spaces. They are considerably more portable and maneuverable than most types of shower chairs.
Since they are smaller and simpler by design, small shower benches like those in our Refine line are also easier to clean (and keep clean) than the transfer benches in our ShowerGlyde line - although, to be curt, both are easy to maintain.
One disadvantage of small shower benches, which is shared with stationary shower chairs, is that they don’t assist with the transfer. A user still has to get into the shower or tub before the bench can be used.
Questions About Our Product Lines? Get in Touch with Us
Both shower chairs and bathroom benches can be very useful in different situations and which is right for you (or your loved will) will be best determined by what your individual needs are.
We offer several different types of small bathroom benches in our Refine line as well as three configurations of sliding shower transfer benches in our ShowerGlyde line.
For more information on each, please see our category or product pages, or get in touch with our customer service representatives. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you have so you can choose the solution that works best for you.
